


Combeferre

by orphan_account



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bakery shop owner Combeferre, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, It's like four am here what's up, Kinda, LITERALLY, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:02:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25253524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Courfeyrac used to be a regular customer to the bakery 'Ferre works at. Then he stopped coming.After almost an entire year, he sees him again.
Relationships: Combeferre/Courfeyrac (Les Misérables), Courfeyrac & Azelma Thénardier
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Combeferre

**Author's Note:**

  * For [A_Butter_Churner](https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Butter_Churner/gifts).



> Message: So. Um. I wanted to gift you another fic for a loooong time, but I have been writing less and less, so oopsie for not pushing this out sooner. I wanted to send out a message that I care about you and that you are a wonderful human being but then I began to write an entire paragraph lmao. So this is a shortened version of it. I hope you are happy. And if you're not, happiness WILL come for you. Whether you like it or not. My god, it's after all of us.
> 
> General note: I had a friend who held hands with literally everyone so I’m assuming this behaviour is normal for some people. 
> 
> Also, Courf + 'Ferre in this fic have been flirting with each other for years, so 'This the Moment' for them.

It had been three hundred and one days without Courfeyrac. He had gone to university and they never talked since. It wasn’t Combeferre’s fault that he never had the courage to contact him. Their relationship was not even friends to begin with. Combeferre’s family owned a bakery and Courfeyrac visited every day. That was all.

Although… They did chat every time they met- and honestly?- Combeferre knew more about Courfeyrac than he did anyone else. He knew a range of facts. From the top of his head he remembered Courfeyrac explaining what pansexuality was and that he identified with that label. Of course there was no reason to remember his sexuality...  
Regardless, within the long list of random facts about him, he never figured out his phone number.

When he was in the bakery, the clock was extremely loud, ticking away. In the almost-empty bakery, its sound echoed, reminding Combeferre how lonely he felt.  
Every time he looked out of the store window, he could see how the warm sunlight hit the stony streets. Outside was a mixture of orange and yellow, and while it may have interpreted as warmth to others, Combeferre shivered. To him, outside was warm and inside was freezing. By all accounts, it shouldn’t make sense. But that was how he felt nevertheless. Alone. Left out.

There would be children running about, giggling, with their parents behind them, walking at their own pace, chatting with each other. At other times there would be a group of students with iced coffee in their hands as they complained about their recent tests. Or… there was Courfeyrac. And he was the only one who bothered to talk to him.

In order to distract himself, Combeferre brought a book to his work. Since his boss was his father, he couldn’t really complain about ‘Ferre’s behaviour at work. After all he was working for the minimum wage in exchange for food and shelter. Although this was a great deal when he started out, he began to think he was being chained to the same place.

But there was nowhere else he wanted to go. There was no urge for adventure, no desire to visit anywhere, and no want to leave his village; it was the only place he ever knew.

He flicked through a page when a bell rang to signify a customer walked in. ‘Ferre’s eyes didn’t leave his book. Then he heard the bell ring again. That was strange, he hardly had two customers at the same time. He looked up.

A woman entered with an ear-to-ear smile who was holding hands with her boyfriend. Combeferre was taken aback: she had a scar which began from right below her left eye, all the way down to the very end of her chin. The man on the other hand reminded him of Courfeyrac, with his light brown hair and his skinniness. The boyfriend then looked up to him and- holy crap it was Courfeyrac.

As a reflex Combeferre fell to the floor, hiding behind a counter. His heart was beating too fast and too hard for his health. He grabbed his chest as the world around him swirled.

“Am I interrupting you on anything, ‘Ferre?”  
Suppressing a yelp, Combeferre stood upright, facing the wall, then slowly rotated around to see Courfeyrac. “No.” He tried to give a realistic laugh, “How are you, Courf?”  
“Oh! You remember my name.” He gave the purest smile. “Man, how long has it been?”  
“Three-” He bit his lip. Crap. It wasn’t like he had a calendar with ‘x’ for the days Courfeyrac didn’t meet him, but he sure did have one in his brain.  
Courfeyrac chuckled, “Too long, right? I missed your bread.”  
“Uh-huh.” He squeaked, unable to decide if he was joking or being serious.

The small woman from before waddled up to them as she hugged Courfeyrac tight. “Hi, I heard so much about you. So I want to buy some of your pastries. I’ll be right back with a tray full of ‘em.”  
Now that she was closer, he could see that her scar was close to completely healing- he must have focused on it too much when she first came in. He tried his best to wear a smile, “Oh, that’s great… And you are…?”  
“Azelma.” She nodded, as if confirming her own name with herself.  
“Oh.” Combeferre felt saddened, “That’s a pretty name.”  
It was as if she could hear his thoughts as she didn’t hesitate to fire back, “I think Combeferre is a pretty name.” She said with wide eyes, conveying honesty.  
“Hah.” ‘Ferre managed to push out, trying to smile as she skipped away.

Courfeyrac grinned at her before turning his attention to him again. “I’m paying for her.”  
“Such a gentleman.”  
“I know.” He rolled his eyes. “Only if she was my girlfriend.”  
“She’s not?” He blurted.  
Courfeyrac was as surprised by what he said as Combeferre was. “No… She’s… Just a friend…” He snorted, “Why are you so surprised?”  
He blushed. “No reason.”

“Here ya go, you funnies,” Azelma delivered a tray with towers of pastries, “See, this is what happens when you say you’ll buy things for me, Courf.”  
He gave an exaggerated sigh and pulled out his wallet.  
Combeferre calculated the price and accepted the money. “Did you have fun at University?”  
“Nope.” Courfeyrac said happily.  
“Oh.” He put all the bread in a plastic bag and handed it to them.  
There was a long exchange of eye contact. They both knew they may ot see each other for a long time again. Combeferre yearned for him. When he gave Courfeyrac his change, he let his hand touch his for the longest time, hoping he wouldn’t notice how desperate he was. Looking up, his eyes were reflective of the overhead lights- they were watery.  
Eventually, Courfeyrac backed away, pressing his hand on Azelma’s back.

It was happening again. Courfeyrac was going to walk away. Again.

Nervously, Combeferre tapped his foot. When was he going to see him again? Would he actually ever see him again?

Courfeyrac pulled the door, letting Azelma through first.

He should do something. He should… Walk right up to him and tell him… What? Tell him he was obsessed with him? That he wanted to talk to him outside work? For more than five minutes every day? How would he react?

Courfeyrac was leaving now.

There was no time for thought, he let his mouth take the wheel. “Wait!” Combeferre shouted.  
Courfeyrac turned to see him. “Hm?”  
“Uh…” Combeferre awkwardly walked towards him. “There’s… I just… Want…”

Courfeyrac suppressed his smile. Usually Combeferre always knew what to say- but it was apparent he couldn’t even muster three words linked together. There was some entertainment value there. “What is it?”  
“It’s just…” Combeferre didn’t know where to look- it was too embarrassing to look him in the eyes. Thus he shifted his vision from the floor to his eyes a couple of times, “Will you… be back?”

Both of them held their breath for a moment. Neither of them knew the answer.

“Depends.” Courfeyrac murmured as he took a step closer to him.  
“Depends.” He echoed.  
Courfeyrac nodded. For a brief second, he leaned in, but immediately pivoted around and headed for the door.

Afraid this meant he would be gone forever, Combeferre called out for him. “Wait!”  
Courfeyrac immediately spun around. “Y-yes?” 

To be completely honest, Combeferre didn’t expect a positive response, or any response as a matter of fact. So with Courfeyrac staring at him wide-eyed, he truly didn’t know what to say. How could he express the amount of loneliness he felt without seeing him every day? Sure, he was good with words, but never with Courfeyrac.  
Now, he had taken too long in thinking and the silence was making him want to dig a deep hole into the ground. He breathed in. Why not dig a grave?

Combeferre kissed Courfeyrac on the lips.

Shit. Combeferre had meant to do this, but only in his head. So… After the quick peck on his lips, he didn’t know what to say.  
Fortunately, Courfeyrac put an end to his panic, “Yeah, I’ll be back.”

(Poor Azelma was left outside, watching the two. To make a joke she pressed her face against the window but neither of them looked.)

**Author's Note:**

> General note: The spelling of ‘yolk’ vs the pronunciation of the word SCARES ME. WHO? INVENTED? ENGLISH?


End file.
